The making of Ashland’s soul

Friday

Apr 24, 2020 at 12:01 AM

Covid-19 challenges the heart and soul of America and of Ashland. Everything has changed.

Trouble tests who we are as individuals and as a community.

National crises are not new, but it has been a while since the 2007-10 economic recession. Since 1914, we all name the same major world-wide crises that include the world wars and the 1918 Flu. Other intense national times of trouble, including the Great Depression, also come to mind; but unless we were scarred by those events, they have for the most part, faded from our memories. This is new territory for us.

State and national issues are important, but our focus right now must be on Ashland. We must do this not for selfish reasons, but because what we think and do in the next six months will set the direction of the attitude and atmosphere for years to come in our own community. This decision will impact Ashland, whether for good or bad.

The question is, "What will we do when we are released from the confines of our four walls?"

Let’s not forget that regardless of the current pandemic and the negative economic realities, for many years Ashland community leaders and people have poured sweat and tears into molding the heart of our community. Ashland has been growing, remodeling and re-investing its resources, making Ashland a better place to live and hang out.

Even now, additional downtown landscaping and walking areas are being developed where the former Myer Pump buildings once stood and to the area east of the Dairy Queen. These efforts will make it easier to connect as a community, even while practicing social distancing.

Our challenge is that once we are given the green light, we must purposeful and intentionally contend for not only Ashland’s brick and mortar, but for its heart.

We can choose, if we determine in our heart to do so, to stay on course and continue to build on all that has been done, in addition to continuing to add to it the most important part — the spiritual soul of Ashland.

We often say of a sports team, industry or even a country that it has gained or lost its heart or soul. That means something. It’s intangible. It’s spiritual. It’s the foundation of all other good things that make or break that team, industry or culture.

In that phrase are embedded words like hope and sharing, love and friendship, caring and safety — a belief that we will all stand together in times of distress.

These words are not money words. You can’t buy a city’s soul. These are spiritual realities.

Ashland has a heart and soul, and in 2020 we will have an opportunity to prove that it is deeper than friendly smiles.

A good soul is grounded in the spiritual reality that we must choose to acknowledge Jesus both as a community and as individuals.

Ashland has been embracing this spiritual reality, as evidenced by the number of those who are willing to boldly state their dependence on Jesus.

What Ashland looks like in the next few years depends on us individually to acknowledge the spiritual reality that will set the right attitudes for our community for the here and now, and that also will endure forever.

It’s an intentional decision.

— The Rev. Jon Hall is a pastor at Ashland Grace Church.

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